Resources

Mental Health resources

If you want help in the form of either outpatient services, general support, or residential services and you’re on the West Coast, call our Clinical Director, Jim Piekarski, for a free phone consultation at 805-965-3434

http://www.adultchildren.org (Adult Children of Alcoholics World Service Organization, Inc) support for adults who grew up in homes dealing with alcoholism. Has an online forum for those who can’t attend meetings.

http://athealth.com – offers information to people dealing with mental health issues and their families. Listing local physicians to answer questions people may have while they are exploring the website.

http://casra.org (California Association of Social Rehabilitation Agencies) education about advocacy and social integration.

http://www.dmh.ca.gov (Department of Mental Health) a state government run site offering information about legal rights and facilities available in California.

http://findthelight.net (Find the Light) support and resources for people suffering from mood disorders and substance abuse.

http://www.power2u.org/articles/recovery/people_can.html (The National Empowerment Center) People can Recover from Mental Illness – By Daniel Fisher, M.D., Ph.D. and Laurie Ahern – This article sheds talks about recovering from even the most severe mental illness and the emotional healing that is needed after dealing with mental illness.

The Quiet Room: A Journey Out of the Torment of Madness by Lori Schiller, Amanda Bennett, Grand Central Publishing; 1 edition (January 1, 1996) – An enlightening memoir of a woman’s experience with schizophrenia.

The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness by Elyn R. Saks, Hyperion; Reprint edition (August 12, 2008) – A great memoir of a woman with schizophrenia. Her life demonstrates how high functioning a person can be with this illness.

Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Second Edition by Carlos W. Pratt, Kenneth J. Gill, Nora M. Barrett, Melissa M. Roberts Academic Press ( 2002) Good introduction to psychosocial rehabilitation. Introduces the experience of psychiatric disorders from the client’s perspective, covers symptoms and etiology of severe and persistent mental illness as well as treatment strategies. The book is simply written, using case illustrations; considered an excellent college textbook.

Schizophrenia: Cognitive Theory, Research, and Therapy by Aaron T. Beck, Neil A. Rector, Neal Stolar, Paul Grant The Guilford Press; 1 edition (October 29, 2008) This is a book our staff uses at Phoenix of Santa Barbara to help clients question their voices and their distorted thinking. It is aimed for the professional. There are numerous studies, particularly in England, showing that this type of therapy can be helpful for delusions and hallucinations.

The Feeling Good Handbook by David D. Burns, Plume; Rev Sub edition (May 1, 1999) An excellent book that reviews the basic techniques to overcome depression and anxiety.

Reinventing Your Life: The Breakthough Program to End Negative Behavior…and Feel Great Again by Jeffrey E. YoungJanet S. Klosko, Aaron T. Beck (Foreword), Plume; First Edition (May 1, 1994) A powerful self-help book. If you have read many self-help books and think that you can’t learn much more, pick this one up and be surprised.

An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison, Vintage; 1 edition (January 14, 1997) An excellent memoir of a woman with bipolar disorder.